Paper guide for web-fed press

Abstract

A paper guide for a web-fed rotary printing press with multiple color printing groups on several vertically spaced levels provides a path for the freshly printed multiple color web to air dry as it travels along the machine frame. The length of travel of the air drying path is a multiple of the spacing between adjacent plate cylinders in any of the levels in the printing machine.

I claim: 
     
       1. A paper guide assembly for a web-fed rotary printing press, said paper guide assembly comprising: a plurality of colored ink printing groups arranged in pairs of printing groups in each of multiple levels of a printing machine, each of said colored ink printing groups having a plate cylinder and a corresponding counter pressure cylinder, said plate cylinders in each of said pairs of colored ink printing groups in each of said levels being spaced a distance "a" from each other, said plurality of colored ink printing groups having a total of "n" colors of water-based ink;   means for passing a selectably coated or uncoated web to be printed in said "n" colors on a first side through said pairs of colored ink printing groups to print said first side of said web in said "n" colors; and   a printed paper web side air-drying path between a last one of said colored ink printing groups and a first paper reversing device contacting said printed first side of said selectably coated or uncoated web, said printed web side air-drying path receiving said printed web printed in said "n" colors from said last one of said colored ink printing groups and having an air-drying path length of at least (n+1) times said distance "a" to thereby permit complete air-drying of said selectably coated or uncoated printed web.   
     
     
       2. The paper guide assembly of claim 1 further including a plurality of paper web guide rollers in said printing machine, said paper web guide rollers having ink repelling surfaces. 
     
     
       3. The paper guide assembly of claim 2 wherein said surfaces of said guide rollers are plastic. 
     
     
       4. The paper guide assembly of claim 1 wherein said pairs of printing groups are arranged in vertical levels in said printing machine and further wherein said means for passing a web through said printing groups includes a plurality of guide elements.